Attorney General Moody: State is Taking Explicit Drag Shows Seriously

Published Dec. 29, 2022, 1:07 p.m. ET | Updated Jan. 2, 2023

Gov. Ron DeSantis announces new lawsuit against Biden administration.

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said Gov. Ron DeSantis and the executive branch will be taking the investigation of a drag show that took place in Fort Lauderdale seriously.

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) said it is investigating the drag show in Fort Lauderdale named “A Drag Queen Christmas” after complaints about the sexually explicit performance being marketed to children.

“Exposing children to sexually explicit activity is a crime in Florida, and such action violates the Department’s licensing standards for operating a business and holding a liquor license,” the department said in a statement.

Moody was on Fox Friends First and said “energy in the executive in Florida is on full display” and credited DeSantis. She explained that no parent or business is exempt from “liability” for exposing children to “sexually suggestive material.”

“Look at the two differences between President Biden and Governor DeSantis, certainly energy in the executive in Florida is on full display,” said Moody. “When folks are complaining, when there’s an allegation that children are being exposed to inappropriate material, whether that’s with a parent or not, I can tell you, as a judge and a former prosecutor, I saw all the time, parents against laws exposed children to explicit, sexually suggestive material. That doesn’t exempt anyone, a parent or a business from liability for such behavior.”

The show was held in Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 26 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Another show was held in Miami and Orlando and the next show is scheduled for Dec. 29 in Clearwater.

DeSantis’ administration issued another warning for the Dec. 29 show in Clearwater and the DBPR told Ruth Eckerd Hall of Clearwater that children cannot be exposed to “sexually explicit performances.”

“The Department has reason to believe that this drag show is of a sexual nature, involving the exposure or exhibition of sexual organs, simulated sexual activity, and/or the sexualization of children’s stories,” the DBPR wrote. “To avoid action being taken against your license, it is your obligation to ensure that minors are prohibited from attending the Drag Fans drag show.”

The Fort Lauderdale show was originally promoted as an “All-Ages show” that “may contain adult content.” However, days prior to the event it was changed to say “limited to patrons 18 years of age or over, unless accompanied by a parent.”

The department said it is looking through video footage and photographs from the event. It will share any collected evidence with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for “potential criminal liability.”

Moody said DeSantis and the executive branch will “not sit back” and will look at the circumstances of the events “very carefully.”

“So all of this obviously will come down to looking at the particular facts and circumstances in these instances but, let me tell ya, this governor and our executive branch will not sit back while children or anyone else is harmed. We’re going to look at it very carefully and make sure we’re doing our jobs, that’s what people elected us to do.”

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